The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1887-07-07
The Nations Birthday.

SiHi'iii, hiooeii vi sLN'S', vi INV
government. and because it carrie!
forward with 4 high hand what Tx
Achaian League and the Roman
Commonwealth only tImilly essay.
ell and foreshadowed.
Yet even this day, full freighte(
as IT is with SO much that is splen
did, aspiring and propltuous fol
; humanity: has not always been uni
formly honored. Before The civil wal
it was sometimes almost neglect
cd. From 1850 to 1860 there were
even those who said they heard toe
much OF the Fourth of July. Not
so a generation before, as witness 4
foreigner, Henry Brougham, who
wrote:
''In 1926. on the anniversary OF
the half century after the Declars-
ton of Independence was signed
the day was kept all over the whole
Union as grand festival and Sb-
served with extraordinary solemn
ty. As the clock struck the hour
when that mighty instrument was
signed another bell was also heard
to toll /; it was the passing bell of
John Adams, one of the two sur
viving Presidents who had signed
the Declaration. The other was
Jefferson. And it was soon after
learned that at this same time, he.
too, had expired In remote quar-
tel Of the country
Tho sense of what had been
achieved was lively then, and it be
came even more vigorous after
ward. The centennial celebration
of Independence day was grander
than vas ever known before, and
that of today will not suffer, we be
lieve, by comparison even with
1876. The reasons are perhaps
more clear cut and explicit to the
national mind than they have hlth-
erto been.
To honor Independence day, it is
now felt, is part of an Anne rican's
legitimate training. The cannon
the music, the military shows, the
speeches, all pertain to the lesson,
and is taught each year to increas-
ing millions. We want our youth
to learn it, and we want the stran
gers who pour constantly through
our gates TO learn it. for the more
thoroughly it is learned the more
firmly it will be priced and more
surely will the liberty it commem-
crates be preserved.
In looking back at the vast forces
That have fro.n time 10 time men
aced the stability of American in
stitntiGns, VIC find cccasion, 1t Is
true, for confidence and hope, since
it is highly improbable that forces
so destructive as those that have
slready threatened the Unica viii
threaten it again while the antag-
onIslic elements that now exist
among US, are comparatiyelysspeak-
ing, puny and lnconsiderable. Itis,
however, always wise to regard a
possible danger as a probable one.
1t is wise, IN other words, to guide
the people with firm and constant
diligence into knowledge and ap-
probation Of the blessings of the
Republic, and 1t is wise TO proclaim
as stanchly the unalterable purpose
of the American people to preserve
and defend that Republic, let as J
saults against it come when they
may.
In brief, the enthusiasm of 1926
and of 1876 should be nourishcd
and kept steadily aglow, and the
apathy or lukewarmness of the in
period suffered to recur;
Tor so alone will their descendants
be worthy of the Respondent deeds
Of those who fathered the Republic
and those who preserved it, and
proper garnerers of the harves! Their
august predecessors have sown-
And take 1t for all in all what a glo.
rlous harvest it is! L
Mr. Ruskin lately said That he
could not live in a country without
castles and cathedraIs, but surely a
country that holds Bunker Hill and
Gettysburg is as worthy 4 home IS
,ne packed full of kenilworths and
York Ministers, and the Fourth of {
July reminds us forever of that
act. For this We cherish tie day
With all it's immortal memories. and
or this We hand down its celebra.
ion to our descendants. l
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